Reunions and Removals
by BonesBird
Summary: After Jon's first year as an ambassador on Andoria, he realises how much of his families life he is missing, and tries to convince his wife to bring their family to Andoria with him. Set in 2169.


**And another one moved over from AO3.**

**Shin xx**

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He wasn't quite so used to the absence he felt on landing, he'd asked Erika to keep the kids at home this time, not wanting another very public reunion, exactly the kind that the press loved to catch. He hadn't expected to feel so lonely as he climbed out of the hatch, smiling to his pilot who had the bags in his arms before Jon could even pick them up. He hadn't made it four steps before he heard a familiar voice, and saw a quick flurry of movement before something solid hit his legs. "Daddy!" His seven-year-old daughter squealed again as she held onto his legs, and never had he been happier that his wife had ignored what he'd said.

He crouched down to put him on a level with her, hugging her tightly. He smiled as she pulled back with a grin, he noticed that she was taller than last time he'd been home, and she was clearly putting in the work at therapy, she seemed to be standing up easier. "Hey munchkin, what are you doing here?"

"I brought mommy and HC to pick you up." She giggled, reaching out and tapping his nose.

"Where is mommy?" He asked, somewhat anxious that he couldn't see his wife through the throng of people around them.

Serena pointed over his shoulder through the legs of people queuing for the exit. "Over there. She said HC's being fussy." He barely had time to process what she was saying before her next question came tumbling out of her mouth. The same question she asked whenever he returned from a trip away. "Did you bring me anything?"

"You'll have to wait til we get home. Did you get new crutches?" He asked, noticing the colours and patterns on these were very different to the ones on her last pair.

"Uncle Trip got them for me." She grinned happily, and he found himself shaking his head a little.

"He did, did he?"

Serena pulled a similar look to the one he imagined was on his face before she smiled again, "Mommy pulled the same face when he brought them."

"I bet she did. Why don't you lead the way to where mommy is then?" He said, and quickly started following his daughter through the shuttleport, smiling as he finally spotted Erika sat on a bench, rocking their son as she did. It was obvious that she still wasn't having much luck at settling the two-year-old. He smiled as he watched her for a minute, then when she looked up to meet his eyes he shook his head lightly."I thought I told you not to come?"

She put on a tired smile and stood up, settling HC against her shoulder. "Rena wouldn't stop until I agreed to bring her. I contacted your office and they told me what time you were due in."

"Just like that?" He asked, wondering if he should be concerned at the lack of discipline in his office staff if they were giving out what time he was landing to anyone who called in.

"Just like that." She replied, but he noticed the tone of sarcasm and a touch of annoyance. He waited a second for her to actually extrapolate on what had annoyed her. "No I had to jump through a million hoops to prove I was your wife."

He shook his head as they started walking out of the shuttle port, he kept his eyes on Rena even as he reached for Erika's hand, wanting a tiny amount of contact with her after so long apart. "It's all about safety, I am an ambassador after all. What's wrong with HC?" He asked, indicating the baby she still tried to soothe while walking.

"Nap time."

Any further explanation was stopped by the shout from Serena, who was clearly craving her fathers' attention after months without seeing him. "Come here!" He smiled, only a daughter could shout that at a man who had been a Captain, an Admiral and was now an ambassador and not find themselves in the brig. He shared a long look with his wife, one he hoped told her that he wished he was able to speak to her.

She smiled after a second, squeezing the hand she held before letting go. "You deal with Rena, he'll fall asleep while we walk." She gave him a tiny push forward, clearly indicating he needed to go and catch up to Serena.

"Hey, you really need to slow down and wait for me." He shouted after her a minute later, shaking his head as she turned round and glared at him. Never before had he realised quite how much like her mother Serena looked.

She even managed to convey the same sarcastic impatience Erika had, something he would never have thought would be genetic. "But I want to show you how fast I can go now!"

"OK. But stay close." He shouted, staying still until he heard Erika's voice almost directly behind him.

"She missed you."

He smiled, this time taking HC off her and settling the almost-asleep toddler on his shoulder, giving Erika a moment to rest before he broke the bad news. "I can tell. I'm only home for a week."

"Back to Andoria?" She asked, a grim look on her face. He nodded as she looked away, her eyes focusing on Serena, who was stood the other end of the public garden patiently waiting for them to catch up. "I wish you didn't have to go."

"Why don't you come with me this time?" He suggested, not really sure what she'd say in response. A year earlier they'd decided that Serena's needs and the fact HC was still so young meant that Erika should keep the kids on Earth.

The look on her face told him she didn't think it was such a good idea, at least not yet. But this time he didn't want to be spending months without his family. "And pull Serena out of school? Raise Henry on Andoria?"

"I'm sure you and the other aides at the embassy could keep the kids up to date on their schooling, and we wouldn't have to spend months apart again."

"Jonathan we've spent-" She started, but they were interrupted by the sound of Serena running back to them.

"Daddy, daddy!"

"One minute honey. Maybe we should talk about this tonight?" He gave Erika a significant look, hoping that she understood what he meant, they would have to talk about this, because things would need to be put in place.

"Maybe we should. Go play with your daughter, we'll be right behind you." She took HC off him, the toddler beginning to look like he was waking up a little.

Jon spent the evening playing with his children, allowing Erika to have what he was certain was much needed time off from the terrors of two very active children. His evening had including playing dress up with Serena and trains with HC, and by the time bedtime had come he was fairly certain he was more exhausted than they were.

"Go to sleep, Rena. I'm not going anywhere tonight." He called through the house as once again he left Serena's room and headed to the living room, collapsing on the sofa next to Erika and wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"She still fighting it?" she asked, quite unnecessarily as the sound of feet and crutches in the bedroom upstairs got louder again, but this time nobody moved, and after a few minutes the sounds made their way back over to the bed.

"Is she like this every night?" He looked up to the ceiling then back to his wife, who allowed a grim smile to settle on her face. He was fairly sure he was about to learn just how much he had missed over the last 6 months.

"Normally she's straight to sleep. HC's the fussy one."

"I'm sorry I didn't make it home for your birthday." He whispered, pulling her tighter. Trip had mentioned in one of his letters that when Erika had been asked what she'd wanted for her birthday, it was for him to come home, and as seemed to be the case with everything these days, he missed it.

"I didn't expect you to. Earth comes first." The resignation in her voice made his heart hurt, she had gotten used to him disappointing her too, and that was something he'd never hoped to experience.

"Sometimes it shouldn't."

She shook her head and took hold of his hand, after a few seconds she looked at him and it dawned on him that she understood. "Jon, we've both been slaves of duty since before we met, that hasn't changed just because we have kids now."

"I just hate that I miss so much." He frowned, and remembered the half hour he'd had to spend earlier playing peek a boo just so that HC would look at him and not cry. "HC doesn't even know me, Rena tries to tell me so much every time I come home she talks herself to being overtired."

Erika shook her head, and again he was struck by how much Serena had grown to be like her. "I know, I've been here today too." He almost laughed at the sarcasm before he turned to face her properly.

"Please, Rike. Come to Andoria with me." He all but begged, knowing what he wanted beyond anything was to have his family come with him, to have them stay with him. He didn't want to have to come home and learn everything about his children again. He didn't want to spend another night without his wife to hold.

"Would the diplomatic corps allow us too?" She asked, and that was the minute he knew he'd won. What had prompted her change of heart he didn't know, but he would push it until she said yes.

"They wondered why you didn't come with me a year ago when I was first assigned. It won't be a problem. There are plenty there who could help you with the kids."

"You're selling me more and more on this idea." Her grin widened and he had one last little push he could give to convince her that it was the right thing to do for their family.

"We would finally have the chance to spend more time together, without having to sneak moments away in the middle of the night."

"You mean like we are doing now?"

"Exactly like we are doing now." He kissed her, wrapping his arms around her, the solid feel of her body against his reminding him of the best parts of coming home. He couldn't deal with another day away from her. He'd sworn those days were over once she left Starfleet, but again his career had dragged him away, but all he wanted now was for her to come with him, and stay with him, and be the family they hadn't ever had the chance to be. "God, I've missed you Rike."

"I love you." She whispered as she ran her fingers through his hair in one of the oldest gestures of affection they had between them, he smiled as she pulled back a little, and it took everything he had not to pull her back to him. After a second she smiled against and kissed him far gentler than he'd anticipated. "We'll come to Andoria." He felt his face break into a grin as he pulled her into him again, and suddenly everything was going to work out, he was sure, because she was going to be with him, and his family were going to be together.


End file.
